What are strollers and buggies?

The most lightweight options for transporting your baby, straightforward buggies make light work of travelling with your little one.

The winning features for buggies and strollers are cost, weight and folding ability. For these reasons most families will have at least one at some point on their family journey.

Even within such a simple type of product, there are a range of options to choose from. More expensive options include adjustable handles or rain hoods. Cheaper versions often don’t come with any extra features.

Folding – Sometimes referred to as parasol or umbrella strollers for their portability, they tend to fold up very small. This makes them perfect where space is limited, on public transport, or for storage in shared entrance halls for example.

Wheels – Most have small swivel front wheels, which make manoeuvring in shops or on transport super-easy. They might not be lockable, which can make off-road travel trickier.

Cost – The low-cost options are great to chuck in the car boot for holidays, or not worry about losing/breaking on a plane journey. It also means you can buy one to leave at friends or relatives if you visit frequently – or a spare if everyone comes to you.

How much do strollers and buggies cost?

As with all products, there are the more expensive options, with more padding, or lie-flat infant options and with extendable leg rests. There are also cheap supermarket versions with no frills that get the job done. You can pick up a non-brand basic buggy in a supermarket for around £20. At the other end of the scale, a top-brand lightweight compact fold, suitable from birth, could be up to £300.

Top tips for buying strollers and buggies

Not all buggies are suitable for newborns, as they need to lie flat, or be clipped into their infant carrier car seat until they can sit unaided. Check the reclining option if you want to use it for a newborn.

If you like buggy storage you’ll find it very limited on most basic models. You’ll need to carry your own bags!

Accessories: You can buy universal rain covers or sun covers and parasols at a fraction of the cost of own-brand.

Joie Brisk Stroller

The Joie Brisk stroller is crammed with innovative, hi-tech features to take strolling to the next level! It is Joie travel-system compatible, yet still a light-weight, compact buggy for zipping round town or country!

Silver Cross Pop Stroller

The Silver Cross Pop stroller is a lightweight, compact buggy that you can get your little one out and about in from birth through to pre-school! Its clean lines, sleek build and fab fabric options make it look pretty swish, too.